They lack the glamor of a Las Vegas casino, and there are no neon signs or all-you-can-eat buffets, either. But when it comes to the kinds of celebrities associated with Sin City, Arizona’s RV resorts could be the best-kept secret in Arizona.

This season, for example, Cal-Am resorts will be presenting a heavy-duty concert calendar that features the likes of Marie Osmond, Charo, Rich Little and Lynda Carter. In previous years, headliners have included Wayne Newton, Crystal Gayle, B.J. Thomas, Tanya Tucker, Ricky Skaggs, the Smothers Brothers and the Oak Ridge Boys.

Granted, they may not be topping the charts, but these are performers who still carry a certain amount of cachet with the right age group.

“Think about what you see in Las Vegas or in Branson, Missouri, and that’s what we’re aiming for,” says Starr Davis, Cal-Am regional activity director. “You kind of get the Branson flavor here, but with terrific weather.”

Cal-Am has nine RV resorts in the Valley. They cater to winter visitors, though there are also residents who live there year-round. For the past nine years, the company has been offering patrons and the public these star-heavy concerts from January to March that are specifically geared to their clientele.

That’s another thing about Cal-Am concerts. Performers do two shows daily, so fans who like to hit the sack early can catch the matinee. Prices also are startlingly cheap: Tickets for Osmond’s show are $30 to $50. At the Flamingo in Las Vegas, where she has a regular gig with brother Donny, tickets go for $104 to $268. A solo Marie show held in September in Tulsa, Okla., was priced from $75 to $100.

“I’m sure that Marie is charging us what she charges any other venue in the United States,” Davis says, without divulging the singer’s fee. “But instead of us putting a huge markup on the tickets, we’re just happy to break even.”

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